Tea Leaves
by meepghost
Summary: Rena, a new wannabe trainer winds up starting on an amazing journey that shows her where her destiny leads her.
1. Seedling

Disclaimer: I only own my characters in this story, so please don't sue. I'm broke so you won't get anything :p!!! Enjoy!  
  
In a place hidden deep in dense forests and jungles a small town exists, but it is so small that barely anyone considers it a town at all and few even know that such a town exists. It is called Tanosai Village, I know it's not much, but this is where I live, a small house about a block away from Professor Tyde's Lab. Everyone talks about him being a whiz on pokemon training, but most of the rumors I hear turn out to be fake. Oh yeah, my names Rena that might help you understand the story a little more since it mainly circulates around me! This, like most tales, you will probably pass off as rumor, but this is my a story, a tale meant to be told.  
  
I skipped lightly down a dirt trail in Tanosai Village, feeling the wind rustle through my long black hair. I hummed a made up tune to myself and pulled out a white and red ball that most trainers called a pokeball. "This day for sure! I will catch a pokemon!!!" I paused quickly, causing the dirt to rise up in front of me, I looked at the pokeball and pondered, "But I don't even know where to start. I'm fourteen! I should be a master at catching pokemon by now! I can't even catch one." I looked back up into the clear blue sky and it made my spirits soar as I remembered how much I loved pokemon battles and how I longed to catch a pokemon of my own. Always wishing for something I could never have. "I can't let that keep me down. Its just so hard."  
  
Another girl rode up to me on her bike and I slowly came back to reality. She skidded to a stop right next to me, and I recognized her as Mia, a girl I lived by, "Lost again, eh Rena? You're fourteen! Plenty old enough to get your first pokemon from Professor Tyde!"  
  
She smiled gently at me, I knew she was trying to get me to go get help from him, and I glared at her for even suggesting it, "I don't need him to help me! My father was a legendary pokemon master who won the Indigo Plateau. Never once did he get help, so I won't get help on my journey ether!"  
  
Mia just laughed and shook her head trying to be serious for a moment, knowing her I doubted it was possible. She pulled out her sketchbook and showed me a few of her drawings, I had to admit they were better then any of the chicken scratches I drew! Mia closed the book and softly spoke in her 'serious' voice that told me not to dare interrupt, "I was like you too once, I didn't ever want help on my journey to becoming a great artist, but I didn't know I actually was being helped by those around me! My friends, my family, even you gave me the strength to keep on painting, even when I was too tired to move my brush another inch! You see its ok to get help, and sometimes it makes even greater then you already were!"  
  
It was my turn to laugh at her, it was just so funny seeing her be so serious. "Did you stay up all night trying to think of that? Besides I want to be known everywhere as 'Rena the Legend'! For my dad to be proud." I sighed and couldn't remember the last time I'd seen my father.  
  
Mia hopped off of her bike and giggled at me a little, "You do know that your father abandoned you right, do you really want to end up like him? Anyways I almost forgot, here!" She handed me an envelope labeled 'Winner' on it in bold red ink. I touched it and the ink smeared, still fresh, it had been written only a short while ago.  
  
As Mia hoped back on her bike I sneered at her and muttered a few words under my breath, she had no right to talk about my father in such a way, "What's this for? Knowing you its probably trash right? After all that's the only thing I ever see you carrying around."  
  
Mia looked like she really wanted to say something back as she stuffed her sketchbook into her book bag, but for some reason she didn't. That wasn't like her at all. She rode off slowly and pushed her finger to her lips smiling, "Shh. It's a secret, don't open it until you get home." By 'it' I guessed she meant the envelope, and I watched her ride off into the horizon. As soon as she was out of site I tore open the letter and read it aloud, "Congratulations, you've won a free membership card to the Poke Mart! To receive your prize just follow the instructions on the back of this letter!" I turned the letter around and noticed a fully sketched out map of the village and I guessed that Mia had drawn it out.  
  
"Why would she give me this? Well duh to trick me..." As I trudged along the dirt path I thought about the letter and well I guess you could say I cracked! I just had to know if Mia was really lieing, or if I had won. I turned around, then glancing quickly at my surroundings I dashed off. Even for Mia, who was never an excellent artist in the first place, the map wasn't very easy to follow it took me at least an hour to reach my destination. I stared up at the white building and knew it was the place, but now that I was here I really didn't want to go in. "Idiot, just go!" I commanded my shaking body to open the door and walk in. "I'm not afraid... I'm not afraid..." A small squeak from behind a bunch of dusty boxes proved me wrong, "Eek!!! Ok I'm afraid!!!" Gleaming red eyes stared straight at me and I backed up slowly whispering to myself, "This is the end, they'll find my corpse and I'll be on the 6:00 news!!! I DON'T WANNA DIE!!!" A small pokemon that looked like a rat jumped out from the boxes and scampered away. I sighed and stood up, my heart beat slowing a little, but I still felt numb from the scare. "Ow!" I felt an object jab me in back and suddenly the lights flashed on, I had hit the switch.  
  
I now noticed that I was not alone in the room, an elderly looking man was sitting on a table writing out something. He looked up at me angrily and barked out, "Turn those lights off! I'm doing careful research here!" He pointed to a cute owl pokemon that I couldn't help but run up and hug.  
  
"Aww!!! Its sooo cute! I want one!" I petted it softly and it hooted at me gently. The man didn't look so happy to see me as the pokemon did.  
  
He slapped my hand with a ruler making me jump back and rub my fingers. He turned off the lights himself growling something under his breath about children these days. "Don't you have any manners! What are you doing in my lab?"  
  
I gasped and ran up to him, Mia had set me up! "Y-your Professor Tyde!" He nodded grumbling now at how stupid children these days were. This was Professor Tyde, I knew that girl was up to something, and I noted to punch her later. First I had to get out of here though, "Um... Yeah well I'm Rena. Rean-uh. So I was just about to leave... By the way wheres the exit?" I looked around and noticed the sigh that had the word 'Exit' on it in bright red letters. I blushed and noted to be less stupid, then rushed out the door.  
  
As I pushed it open and stepped out a hand grabbed my shoulder, "Wait! Your Rena! You can't leave yet." I noticed how fast his attitude had changed towards me.  
  
"Um... hello! I just did! And yes I'm Rena, didn't I make it clear the first two times I said it...?" I wasn't in the mood for playing these kind of games, and I was still feeling my anger come out.  
  
"I'm supposed to give you, Rena Yamato, your pokemon license! So come in, I'll make some tea."  
  
Professor Tyde smiled warmly at me and I let all my anger come out at once, "I don't need help! Especially from some old guy who probably doesn't even know the meaning of fashion sense! I bet you and Mia planned this whole 'cute' way of getting me to get a pokemon from you!"  
  
Despite all of my yelling Professor Tyde still smiled at me as if I hadn't said a word, "You can't battle in gyms without your license." I grumbled and noted again to be less stupid, he had caught me. Ether I went in and got a license or I couldn't battle in gyms. I walked past him into his lab and sat down in the seat he offered me.  
  
As he set a kettle on his stove I started to realize what Mia had meant by getting help from people, but I shook the effect of her speech from my mind quickly. Mia was wrong, I didn't need help. "Just give me my license! I don't have time for tea!" Professor Tyde continued to smile and grabbed the steaming kettle from the stove, poring us each a cup of tea.  
  
"Nonsense! Everyone has time for tea!" I grabbed the cup and drunk it down, while Professor Tyde slowly drank his. "Now then... What is your goal Rena?" He asked adding a little sugar to his tea and slowly stirring it gently.  
  
"Isn't that obvious? I want to be as great as my dad!" I smiled and imagined what it would be like to be as great of a trainer as my father was. Professor Tyde took another sip of his sugary tea and chuckled, I now noticed how old he looked, no wonder he was so slow.  
  
"Is that what you really want? No... You want to do something else, you will find out on your own one day what that something is." He calmly took the last sip of his tea and reached out to pour himself some more.  
  
"Nononono! I need my pokemon license TODAY! No more tea!" I pretended I hadn't heard what he had said about what I wanted, but secretly I knew he was right. Just to make sure he wouldn't get anymore tea I grabbed the kettle away.  
  
"Aww... Fine! Its right over their, just don't forget... drink a cup of tea everyday!" He smiled and pointed to a red book shaped object that glinted in the light pouring through a half covered curtain. I picked it up and shoved it into my bag not even bothering to open it.  
  
"Ok, bye!" I pushed open the door and was blinded by the sudden light, used to the dark now. I knew it was time to leave and test my skills, prove to everyone who doubted me that I would become someone great! 


	2. Roots

Disclaimer: Alrighty, second chapter is ready for a test run, tell me how you like it!  
  
I stared up into the cloudless sky, the turquoise color made my spirits rise. A sudden breeze made me almost drop here license, but I grabbed hold of it just in time. Then a sudden gust of curiosity burst throughout my body as I wondered what was in the book, was it really just a license? "That old guy wouldn't mind if I opened it... It is mine now anyways!" A blast of fire burst from the forest and pushed me back into a tree. I gasped for breath and felt like a french fry, my whole body was throbbing with pain. "What... was... THAT?" I looked up into the sky as I saw a speeding kangaroo like creature rush over my head. It landed straight in front of me, and I realized how small the pokemon really was! I couldn't help but giggle under my breath.  
  
The pokemon's eyes glared at me with pure heated anger raging in his eyes, "This is my territory, so I'm afraid your going to have to leave." He outstretched his claws as he spoke smirking at me. I was shocked, this pokemon could talk! Millions of scientists and trainers had been searching for a pokemon like this one and I had just happened to stumble onto its home, it was definitely my lucky day.  
  
I tripped backwards, my mind racing with ideas which mainly ended with me catching the pokemon, my confidence slowly started to come back, this could be my chance! "Lets see if my luck holds out... I am Rena from Tanosai Village, and I have come to catch you and become as great as my father was, so enjoy your freedom as a wild pokemon while you can!" I knew if I could just somehow caught this pokemon I would be able to prove myself!  
  
"Idiot! You think you can just walk up and catch me, Trouble, the strongest pokemon ever! I bet you don't even have a pokemon, just another wannabe trainer." The kangaroo pokemon called Trouble shot another glare at me and I blushed, he was right, but I ignored his comment on how I didn't even have a real pokemon.  
  
"Tough guy huh? I don't even need a pokemon to catch you. I bet I can catch you right now!" I knew Trouble wouldn't back down from this challenge and I saw him smirk even more.  
  
"Ok, but if you lose then I want that," He pointed to my license and I gasped, but I couldn't say no now, "I'll give you until the sun goes down to catch me, you'll need all the help you can get!"  
  
I smiled and knew that was more than enough time to catch him, "Don't just talk, lets go!" I faced him quickly, ready to fight, but instead of scratching at me he just took off!  
  
Trouble called back at me as he bounded off, "Glad you got your tough talk out, because you don't have time to talk anymore." I sped after him, the clock was set and he was in the lead. I didn't know this was what he meant by 'catching' him, but I didn't have time to worry now the sunset was already starting, all I had was 30 minutes at most!  
  
I fell over getting a mouthful of dirt wasn't as fun as it looked. I strained to get up, but only found myself on the ground again. "I've only been running for three minutes!!! Come on Rena, get up!" I pushed my body up and panted wishing I had brought a bottle of water. I was never going to catch Trouble, but I couldn't just give up without a fight. I forced myself to go faster, the breeze felt good against my tired body and helped me keep going. A blast of fire burst out from the trees, but this time I jumped out of the way like an automatic instinct.  
  
"You look tired, how about I energize you again!" Another blast of flames came out at me and I jumped up again feeling the heat singe my backpack. Trouble just wouldn't quit that easy. Fifteen minutes had already gone by and the sky was lit up in a display of orange and faded pink colors, night would soon arrive, making all of my hopes of becoming a pokemon master futile. I had to think of something quick, but with all of these fire balls being hurled at me it was a little hard to think. I looked at my surrounds, no where to hide, the trees had all been scorched down, but if I could just distract him for a moment then maybe my plan might work.  
  
An idea popped into my head, talk about perfect timing, "Hey kangaroo freak! Look out behind you!" I called out to him, ok maybe it wasn't a genius idea, but it might work.  
  
It did, Trouble quickly whirled around to see what the fuss was about, "What! Where?" I jumped up and grabbed hold of him, pushing him to the ground, but I suddenly realized that there wasn't any ground to push him onto, just a lake! We both screamed out as we crashed into the water. I surfaced quickly and gasped for breath, falling into a freezing cold lake was about as fun as being stung by a Beedrill.  
  
"These were new clothes too! Yuck and I don't even know whats in this water!" I imagined all sorts of hungry water pokemon right underneath me that could eat me up in one bite. I didn't worry for long before I noticed Trouble still hadn't come up, was he planning his revenge on me? "I should just leave him, he hasn't done anything to help me out." No matter how much I tried to convince myself to leave him I didn't move. A few bubbles rose to the surface and burst as they hit the air, instantly I took a deep breath and plunged underwater. If Trouble really was drowning I wouldn't be able to make it in time, I actually hoped he was plotting revenge against me now. I peered around in the murky water and saw a limp body sinking into the depth of the lake. Grabbing hold of Trouble's leg I managed to pull him back to the forest. The sunset was slowly being replaced by stars and Trouble came back to life. I smiled and softly whispered, "Gotcha."  
  
Troubled just smirked and glared at me again, he weakly spoke out, "Not on your life." Then he blacked out with the smirk still on his face, and the sun sunk down, replaced with a bright crescent moon that lit up the pitch black sky. 


End file.
